A successful pre-Cheltenham Sunday treble was a welcome achievement for the Henry de Bromhead team and their devoted followers.
Newcomer Sommesky, the 85/40 favourite, secured the hat-trick for the County Waterford stable in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Pro-Am Auction INH Flat Race at Limerick.
Donning the silks of Graiglore Limited, John Gleeson steered the Soldier Of Fortune chestnut to victory, outpacing their Deise counterparts as John Flavin's Jackmoon claimed third place and Declan Queally's Broderick followed in fourth.
The real challenge for Sommesky came from Mag Mullins' A Tipp For Gold, who made a bold move to overtake in the final stretch. However, the determined victor refused to yield, surging ahead in the last furlong to clinch the win by two and a quarter lengths. Earlier successes included Raglan Road's triumph at Naas under de Bromhead's guidance, while Hurricane Cliff, ridden by Darragh O'Keeffe, triumphed in the preceding event at Greenmount Park for Knockeen.
Reflecting on the race, Gleeson remarked,
"The conditions were quite challenging out there, but it was a promising debut for him, and I'm thrilled with his performance. Everyone at the stable was pleased with his progress, and despite some initial hesitancy, he finished strongly."
"He showed an impressive burst of speed - we started off steadily but picked up the pace early on, and he handled it superbly in the end. He possesses a great temperament, coped well with the ground conditions, and we look forward to more success in the future."
Mr D. Doyle, the jockey of Drumgill trained by John Patrick Ryan, informed the Stewards' secretary that his horse stumbled independently after clipping a heel during the race.